Teddy Long may have been part of the wrestling business for decades, but some of his most signature traits came from outside of the industry.
During his time as SmackDown’s General Manager, Long would often dance to his theme song which was first used by Rodney Mack, a Superstar Long once managed. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Long shared how his dance came about.
“My grandson, he’s 19 now. Well when he was two years old, we were trying to learn him how to walk. So we bought this walker that we put him in… Every time we put him in this walker, all he would do would bop up and down like that. So I went to TV one night and they’re playing my music but I was just thinking about him. So I was having fun and just started doing the dance.
“One night, I got ready to walk out, and just as I got to the curtain, Vince is standing up. He’s yelling ‘DO THAT DANCE!’ What dance? And he starts doing it! And that’s how the dance started.”
Long’s dance was a hit with the WWE Universe.
Long’s signature dance would often be accompanied by him announcing some match or telling a wrestler ‘Let me tell you something playa.’ In the interview, Long explained how it wasn’t his grandson, but his dog that inspired his signature ‘playa.’
“I had a golden retriever, his name was Boss. I got him as a puppy but as he got bigger and bigger, Boss started getting in the way. So every time, I’m like ‘Come on Playa. Get out of the way Playa.’ I’m just talking to him and one night I went to TV I started using slang, calling people playa.”
Long is no longer a regular on WWE TV but is always met with cheers during appearances on programming. Whenever he does appear, odds are you’ll hear a ‘Playa’ or two and see his dance, a testament to how popular these parts of his character have become.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Border City Wrestling will come to Toronto, Ontario this June for the promotion’s first event since the controversial exit of Scott D’Amore from TNA Wrestling.
D’Amore, who served as TNA’s President for years, was let go by Anthem mere weeks after the highly successful relaunch at TNA Hard to Kill. The decision outraged fans as well as those on the roster, with D’Amore’s constant efforts for years being seen as the reason why TNA had not gone out of business or been purchased by WWE long ago. The decision to replace D’Amore with Anthem’s own President Anthony Cicone also did not go over well with wrestling fans.
Now, D’Amore will be part of the upcoming Border City Wrestling event that will take place at the St. Clair College Sportsplex on Saturday, June 15. The show will feature hockey legend and four-time Stanley Cup Champion Darren McCarty in attendance with a statement by BCW teasing that he could step in the ring.
Despite the circumstances surrounding D’Amore’s exit, the BCW show will feature names associated with TNA Wrestling. Bhupinder Gujjar, the recipient of the 2024 St. Clair College Alumni of Distinction Award, will be a part of the event, as will Sheldon Jean.
The show will have free admission. Click here to find out more information about the event.
What’s to Come?
D’Amore will be kept pretty busy with Border City Wrestling but he may soon have another promotion to work with. A recent trademark filing was made for Maple Leaf Wrestling with the address listed being the same as the Border City Wrestling school. Maple Leaf Wrestling dates back to the 1970s when Frank Tunney operated the promotion out of Toronto. The name was later used by the WWF.
Janel Grant wanted to be the best friend of Vince McMahon as well as surgery paid for by the ex-WWE Chairman, a legal representative of McMahon has claimed.
Grant has alleged that she was sexually abused and trafficked by McMahon and was used by others in WWE including John Laurinaitis. McMahon has denied all claims against him but stepped down from WWE in January 2024 due to the lawsuit.
In more recent weeks, McMahon and other defendants have tried to compel arbitration that would see the matter settled outside of court. Grant’s legal team has rejected the notion and has filed for recent comments made by McMahon to be struck from the record. These comments share “vicious falsehoods attacking Janel’s moral character” according to this motion.
In the most recent response from McMahon’s legal team, they claim that Grant’s effort to strike McMahon’s comments are the “height of hypocrisy” given what she has alleged about him. The new memorandum adds that the discovery in this case will show the following:
That she [Grant] was in love with him [McMahon] and he was the love of her life
That he was her best friend
That she wanted to have sex with him and provided graphic detail
That she fantasized about being held down, enjoyed being in pain, and wanted rough sex
That she wanted Defendant to watch her have sex with other people and know about her sex with others
That she wanted Defendant to give her thousands of dollars for clothes, plastic surgery, and other gifts
That she wanted to have a future with Defendant even after signing the Agreement.
That she wanted Defendant to keep living in the same building, so she could continue to see him, even after signing the Agreement
Gunther almost gave in to the temptation of the Yeet after this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw from Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC went off air.
The episode featured 4 quarterfinal matches for King and Queen of The Ring tournaments with both male and female competitors getting two matches each. Lyra Valkyria, Iyo Sky, and Gunther picked up the victories in the first three bouts.
The fourth match between Jey Uso and Ilja Dragunov was the main event of the show. WWE had earlier teased a semi-final between Dragunov and the Ring General but Uso ended up picking the victory in the bout.
This led to a confrontation between the former Bloodline member and Gunther to end the broadcast. After Raw went off air, Jey Uso tried his hardest to make Gunther break and do the yeet.
Even the referee and ring announcer Samantha Irvin joined in on the celebration and it looked as if the former IC Champion may have given up to the temptation.
Gunther however decided against it at the end and he chose to attack his future opponent. Though Jey managed to get the upper hand with a spear and he celebrated with the crowd as the former champion retreated:
Elsewhere in the show we saw The Judgement Day picking up a win in a triple threat tag match. They earned the right to challenge Awesome Truth for the tag titles.
The ongoing QR code mystery continued on Raw with another tease for Uncle Howdy. The code led to a bunch of images with one of them teasing a development in the story later this week.
The King and Queen of the ring tournaments will continue on SmackDown on Friday. You can check out the updated results and the current standings of the same here.
Talks between WWE and Jesse Ventura would not be happening if not for the promotion’s change of regime, the Hall of Famer has claimed.
In April, it was reported that ‘The Body’ was speaking with WWE for the first time in a considerable amount of years. On an edition of Frank Morano’s podcast, Venture gave further details about these talks.
“I am back negotiating with them. We’re in talks right now. I have contracts with my attorney right now with WWE. We don’t know right now fully. They want to bring me back under their Legends [deal].”
Ventura noted that there aren’t many names associated with the first WrestleMania who are left. He named Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff, Andre the Giant, and Junkyard Dog as some of the many names associated with WrestleMania 1 who are no longer with us.
WWE’s change in direction under Triple H has helped Ventura enter negotiations.
The former Minnesota Governor has had a strained relationship with WWE for years, thanks in part to his successful lawsuit against Vince McMahon. The late 80s suit saw Ventura paid royalties for Home Video releases in which he provided commentary, despite McMahon insisting that only in-ring talent should be paid. On the podcast, Ventura said his ongoing talks only came about now that McMahon is gone.,
“I can only say [negotiations] happened because of the change in direction of the company.”
Despite the lawsuit, Ventura made a return as a guest referee at SummerSlam 1999 (which took place in Minnesota during his time as governor.) He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004 and made an appearance on Raw in 2009. It remains to be seen when fans will next see ‘The Body’ on WWE TV but with a Legends deal in the works, it could be sooner than you’d think.
AEW wrestler Cash Wheeler of FTR will be relieved that the criminal case against him related to an incident from July 2023 has been officially dropped.
The former AEW World Tag Team Champion had been arrested and charged with one count of aggravated assault with a firearm. Wheeler had been in a ‘road rage’ and had flashed his gun to another driver. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge. Despite this situation, Wheeler was allowed to work last August’s All In pay-per-view, where FTR defeated the Young Bucks.
Now, the case against Wheeler has been officially dropped, PW Insider reports. The prosecutor’s office has filed a ‘Nolle Prosequi’, indicating their decision to abandon the case and forego pursuing charges against Wheeler. At this time, it is not stated why the case against him has been dropped. Wheeler had been scheduled to face trial on May 20.
Cash Wheeler after being arrested.
This news will come as a huge relief to Wheeler who has remained active on AEW programming despite his legal situation. Wheeler will be a part of the upcoming Double or Nothing pay-per-view and will compete in the Anarchy in the Arena match. The show will see The Elite (the Bucks, Kazuchika Okada, and Jack Perry) face Team AEW (Wheeler, Dax Harwood, Bryan Danielson and Eddie Kingston.)
Wheeler is fortunate that the case against him has been dropped and will hopefully use this as motivation to stay on the proverbial straight and narrow from here on. With his place as one of AEW’s top tag-team wrestlers cemented, the last thing Wheeler needs is to jeopardize that spot with another legal issue.
The King & Queen of the Ring quarterfinals are ongoing, and now we have some names in the semifinals.
WWE’s King & Queen of the Ring tournaments are ongoing, with the brackets featured on the May 13 episode of WWE RAW. The finals will take place on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at the Jeddah Super Dome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Shayna Baszler and IYO Sky threw down in the opening contest of WWE RAW this week. After a back-and-forth match, IYO Sky clinched the win with an Over The Moonsault to move onto the semifinals.
Kofi Kingston and GUNTHER faced off in a match filled with tension. Before the match officially began, Kofi targeted GUNTHER’s legs, aiming to weaken his opponent. Kofi continued to press the attack, but GUNTHER turned the tide by catching Kingston mid-dive. From that point on, GUNTHER dominated, delivering significant damage to Kingston. Although Kingston mounted a brief comeback, GUNTHER ultimately forced him to submit, advancing in the tournament.
Lyra Valkyria and Zoey Stark faced off in their quarterfinals match. It was a close contest, but Lyra secured the victory by countering Stark’s Z-360 into her own Nightwing finisher. The former NXT Women’s Champion will now take on IYO Sky in the next round.
Jey Uso and Ilja Dragunov threw down in the main event of RAW this week. This was a stiff match with several hard-hitting spots. In the end, Uso surprised the former NXT Champion with a spear and an Uso Spash to secure the win, and a match against GUNTHER in the semifinals on RAW next week.
Lilian Garcia made a return to WWE television during the May 13 episode of RAW. She received an amazing homecoming from fans as she filled in for guest announcing duties.
During Garcia’s appearance, she expressed her pride in Samantha Irvin, who had introduced her. Garcia then introduced Kofi Kingston for his match against GUNTHER in the quarterfinals of the 2024 King of the Ring tournament.
Prior to her appearance, Lilian released a backstage video of herself and Samantha. They were very happy to see each other as they prepared for the night’s show.
This was a fitting appearance for Garcia, as it took place on the day after Mother’s Day. Samantha Irvin posted a photo posing with the legendary WWE ring announcer, proclaiming that this counts as her photo to celebrate the Mother’s Day.
In 2016, during her second tenure with WWE, Garcia’s father was battling cancer. This situation led her to leave her full-time role as a WWE ring announcer to spend more time with her ailing father.
After leaving WWE, Lilian Garcia started hosting two podcasts, “Making Their Way to the Ring” and the Spanish-language “Luchando Con Lilian Garcia,” both distributed by Maria Menounos’ AfterBuzz TV network. On July 31, 2017, Garcia launched her new podcast, “Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia.”
Despite her nearly ten-year absence from WWE, Garcia remains beloved within the company.
WWE is not stopping with their mysterious QR codes. Many believe that these are signs that Bo Dallas’ new stable is on the way, and the signs are hard to ignore at this point.
During the IYO SKY vs. Shayna Baszler Queen of the Ring quarterfinal match on WWE RAW this week, a QR code appeared on the screen. For the first time, the code was acknowledged by the commentary team of Pat McAfee and Michael Cole. The seasoned announcer made a mention to the strange code after it flashed on the screen, which could be a sign that we are getting closer to the big reveal.
The code directs fans to a series of picture files, including a photo of a floppy disk labeled ‘5.16.24 4pm + WITCH.’
this is one of the pictures from the QR code this week on raw. i think we need to pay attention to this date and time for two reasons the first one is may 16th which is this thursday, second reason is the time says 4pm plus witch soooo… #WWERawpic.twitter.com/7DxrR6iWzy
Bray Wyatt had many friends in the Firefly Fun House, including Abby the Witch. It has been widely thought that this new stable will be Bray’s “Wyatt 6” stable come to life, which would include the witch character.
New Stable Plans
Currently, four other names are expected to be part of the new faction. Nikki Cross, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Erick Rowan are all set to join the new Wyatt Family group. Each of these individuals has prior experience as faction members: Cross was part of Sanity, Gacy led The Schism, Lumis was a member of The Way, and Rowan was an original member of The Wyatt Family.
Sadly, Bray Wyatt passed away on August 24 at the age of 36-years-old. Although he may be gone, his creative legacy will live on in the form of this new stable.
WWE 2K24 will be adding new content as they roll out their first of five downloadable content from Season Pass. On May 15, fans who purchased the Season Pass for $39.99 will have access to WWE 2K24’s ECW Punk Pack.
The upcoming DLC will add CM Punk, Terry Funk, The Sandman, and The Dudley Boyz(Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley) to the stacked game roster. Fans who bought will also receive new My Faction content, with a pack of cards including an ECW version of Paul Heyman as a Manager.
WWE 2K24’s ECW Punk Pack will mark the first time in a few years that all five characters have been in a WWE game. For The Sandman, it will be the second time he will be playable in a WWE video game since his debut in Smackdown vs. Raw 2008. While fans will appreciate playing with some of their favorite ECW legends, Punk will likely be what many players will look forward to in the game.
Punk hasn’t been in a WWE game since WWE 2K15 in 2014. After he made his return to WWE last year following a turbulent tenure in All Elite Wrestling, fans hoped that he’d be in WWE 2K24. The game’s developers considered fans’ requests to add him for the first DLC swiftly.
Next week will be rewarding for fans who bought the Season Pass as WWE 2K24 has previewed the looks of each new character ahead of the launch.
WWE 2K24 ECW Punk Pack Character Models
In the lead-up to the official release of WWE 2K24’s ECW Punk Pack, fans have been given a sneak peek at how each character looks. The developers have done a great job making each wrestler look realistic to their actual counterparts. It’s noticeable that the developers were also selective in choosing which version of the characters they wanted to use in the game.
— wrestling game attires (@WWEGamesAttires) May 9, 2024
For example, a fan on X/Twitter pointed out that the WWE 2K24 version of Funk may be inspired by his appearances at ECW Barely Legal from 1997. However, The Sandman and The Dudley Boyz character models are from their time in the WWE. It’s unclear why the WWE 2K developers choose not to have each ECW legend be a version of what they were during their time in the company.
That said, each character model looks impressive and shows the evolution of video gaming to make each wrestler look realistic.
Overall Ratings
In addition to sharing a special look at each character in the upcoming DLC, WWE 2K24 has also released their overall ratings. The developers wanted to ensure they gave the correct stats based on wins/losses and championships when making decisions. This new strategy has led to some interesting comparisons as The Sandman (86) has a higher overall than the likes of Booker T(85), Harley Race (84), AJ Styles (85), and others.
— The Pro Wrestling Shoot (@TPWSpodcast) May 10, 2024
Among the ECW Punk Pack characters, Punk has a higher rating at 90. The second highest overall is Funk, with an 87. Unfortunately for D-Von, he was awarded the lowest of the group at 84 overall.
It’s worth noting that the game’s roster still has talent active in WWE below each DLC playable character’s stats.
ECW Punk Pack should be a welcomed addition to the current WWE 2K series installment. The new content may urge fans to jump back into WWE 2K24 to play with Punk or Funk.
Jon Moxley has carved a unique path in pro wrestling. As Dean Ambrose’s Lunatic Fringe in WWE, he dominated with The Shield and later became World Champion. He declined to sign a new deal and later became the Paradigm Shift after leaving the company. Since then, he has thrived, loving the niche he has created.
Moxley recently reflected on his legacy during a chat with Justin Barrasso for SI. He values being remembered for marching to the beat of his own drum and cherishes this aspect of his pro wrestling career. He’s the only Jon Moxley there is and when all is said and done, the multi-time AEW World Champion relishes at the idea that he doesn’t fit into a box or rankings.
You have no idea where to classify me, but you can’t ignore me, so you’re going to have to give me my own space…I like that.”
There’s only one Jon Moxley
Mox’s Inspirational Reading
Jon Moxley may have blazed a trail of bloodshed and sharp foreign objects behind him, but that won’t stop him from picking up a book. Moxley is a member of the BCC book club. He finds constant inspiration in books.
“The line is like, ‘A genius, in the words of Thelonious Monk, is the one most like himself. Genius, in its Latin origin, refers to the attendant spirit present at birth in every person. Each of us is like Aladdin, and our genie–or our genius–is bottled up inside of us waiting to be awakened.’ It’s kind of what I think of when I say there’s only one me.”
Jon Moxley is still the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. His last match was on 11.05.2024. Moxley retained his title by defeating Shota Umino at NJPW STRONG Resurgence 2024.
Moxley’s last match for AEW was on March 3 when The Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley) defeated FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) at AEW Revolution 2024. Since then, he’s has wrestled in CMLL and NJPW.
Bob Bruggers, a wrestling staple whose career was tragically cut short following a 1975 plane crash, has passed away at the age of 80.
Bruggers entered the wrestling business in 1972 and would quickly make a name for himself in the Minnesota-based AWA as well as other territories. In 1974, Bruggers and Paul Jones won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship after dethroning Gene and Ole Anderson. Their 87-day reign was ended by Rip Hawk and a rookie by the name of Ric Flair.
Outside of the ring, Bruggers played collegiate basketball but made a big name for himself in Football. He would play six seasons in the NFL as part of the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers before entering pro-wrestling.
Bruggers’ Plane Crash
On October 4, 1975, Bruggers’ career in wrestling came to an end due to being part of an infamous plane crash. Bruggers had initially not been scheduled to be on the flight but in need of fast transportation, took Jim Crockett Jr’s invitation to take his place on the Cessna 310 as Crockett was ill. The crash would injure all on board, including David Crockett, Ric Flair, Johnny Valentine, and Tim Woods. The pilot would succumb to his injuries.
Bruggers’ suffered a broken ankle and multiple spinal fractures due to the crash that also ended the career of Valiant. The crash occurred after it was discovered that the plane could not take off given the weight of the passengers. Rather than leave someone behind, the plane was drained of a lot of fuel and ran out of fuel before reaching its North Carolina destination.
Bruggers’ in-ring career ended because of the 1975 plane crash.
Bruggers After Wrestling
After his career in the ring ended, Bruggers worked as a sales manager for a tool company. Upon receiving an insurance settlement related to the plane crash, he moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, and opened a bar. He was inducted into the University of Minnesota’s “M” Club Hall of Fame in 2002 and his accomplishments in football and basketball were recognized.
We at SE Scoops would like to offer our sincere condolences to those who knew Bruggers at this sad time.
The landscape of professional wrestling has changed significantly in recent years. Fans no longer need to stay up until midnight to see the conclusion of a WWE pay-per-view. Premium live events have become more concise, and now they are scheduled to start earlier. WWE will maintain the earlier start time for its events, per PWInsider. This will include NXT Heatwave, SummerSlam, and The Bash at Berlin. The current WWE PLE schedule reflects this decision.
In March, there were discussions about potentially shifting domestic PPVs to an earlier start time, but a final decision had not been made at that time.
Traditionally, WWE has aired its pre-shows at 7 p.m. ET, with the main card starting at 8 p.m. ET. This timing was standard until a few years ago when the start time for the main card was moved to 8 p.m. ET.
CEO Nick Khan recently confirmed WWE’s goal to host its five major PLEs (WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, and Money in the Bank) within the United States, while looking to expand their international touring with the PLE’s. Since overseas shows typically begin much earlier for American audiences, the adjustment to earlier start times for these events should not represent a significant change.
Upcoming Schedule
WWE has several stadium shows and international PLE’s in the coming months
Below is the current lineup of events on WWE’s calendar for the remainder of 2024. For the remainder of the year, check out our 2024 WWE/NXTPLE Schedule.
We have a positive medical update on WWE legend Afa Anoa’i after recently going under the knife. One-half of the legendary Wild Samoans underwent his impending surgery and it has come to light that he is recuperating well. posted an update on May 12 revealing Afa’s successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure to replace his Aortic Valve took place on Thursday, May 9. He was released from the hospital on May 11. The Facebook post read:
One-half of the legendary Wild Samoans underwent his impending surgery and it has come to light that he is recuperating well. WXW Wrestling page on Facebook posted an update on May 12 revealing Afa’s successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure to replace his Aortic Valve took place on Thursday, May 9. He was released from the hospital on May 11. The Facebook post read:
“On Thursday, our beloved patriarch Afa the Wild Samoan had a successful TAVR procedure to replace his aortic valve. Yesterday afternoon he was discharged from the hospital! We’re all so grateful that this final hurdle has been passed! Now he has more back rehabilitation to do, but our Pops kicked out again and is one of the strongest human beings in the world! Thank you all for your prayers and concern!”
It has been a stressful year for Afa and his family. Before suffering the fall, the 81-year-old had a battle with pneumonia and also suffered a mild heart attack. Another heart attack impacted his health and it deteriorated considerably. However, the WWE Hall of Famer didn’t give up and overcame the setbacks.
Meanwhile, Afa’s WXW promotion was on the brink of closing amid his health crisis. However, two months later, his son and former WWE wrestler, Afa Anoa’i Jr. (better known as Manu) announced that he is taking charge of the promotion and will continue its operations.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair has shared what was a very bad day for her outside of the ring full of unfortunate situations.
Taking to her Instagram Stories, Belair shared that she dropped her phone in the toilet in what was only the start of her very bad day. From there, Belair’s hair caught on fire after coming in contact with a candle and she was also throw a knife. The EST’s bad luck wouldn’t be confined just to her as Belair would also step on the wedding dress of her sister. Despite all of this, the reigning WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion tried to remain optimistic and said that it had been a good day despite all these unfortunate situations.
Belair shared her very bad day on social media.
What’s to Come for Bianca Belair?
While Belair’s day may not have been the best (but still apparently good,) her role on WWE programming is especially high right now. Belair is in her first reign as a WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion. She and Jade Cargill won the titles at WWE Backlash France, in the first taste of any gold for Cargill since she joined WWE last September.
Both champions are part of the ongoing Queen of the Ring tournament and both were successful in their first-round matches. On the May 17, episode of WWE SmackDown, Cargill will face Nia Jax in the quarter-finals while Belair will take on Tiffany Stratton. Should Belair and Cargill win their respective matches, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions will face each other in the semi-finals on the May 24, episode of WWE SmackDown.
The popularity of Jey Uso at WWE Backlash France did not go unnoticed by higher-ups who aim to capitalize on how ‘over’ he is.
At WWE’s first-ever French Premium Live Event, Jey challenged Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship. This marked Priest’s first title defense at a PLE after capturing the title by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract at WWE WrestleMania: Sunday.
Jey didn’t win the World Heavyweight Championship in Lyon but he was one of the most popular stars at the show, perhaps second only behind Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. The reaction from the crowd to Jey’s entrance at Backlash France has caught the attention of WWE higher-ups, Fightful Select reports.
WWE intends to encourage fans to replicate the Lyon crowd’s reaction during Jey Uso’s entrances in future events. The lighting will continue to be dimmed during his entrance to encourage fans to use their phones as light like what we saw in Lyon. Any time Jey’s theme is played in mainstream media, such as at a recent NBA game, will be highlighted on WWE TV.
WWE’s focus on promoting Jey’s entrance certainly bodes well for his future. After over a decade on WWE TV as a tag-team specialist, Jey is finding his stride as a singles star. And while he may not have become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion in Lyon, there may be more opportunities lined up for ‘Main Event’ Jey.
With less than three weeks until the WWE King and Queen of the Ring premium live event, the tournaments continue with quarterfinal matches tonight on WWE Raw and this Friday on WWE SmackDown.
The latest round of tournament matches were held over the weekend at WWE’s non-televised live events. Kofi Kingston and LA Knight advanced in the King of the Ring, while Shayna Baszler and Tiffany Stratton took steps closer to the throne on the women’s side. A schedule of this week’s tournament matches can be found below.
WWE’s King and Queen of the Ring PLE takes place Saturday, May 25 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the Jeddah Super Dome. In addition to crowning a new King and Queen, WWE has also signed three championship matches:
Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Logan Paul (c)
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan
Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed
Royal Report: Schedule, Injuries & Footsge
Our King and Queen of the Ring Royal Report
This week’s Raw and SmackDown will each feature 4 tournament matches:
WWE Raw – Monday, May 13
KOTR Quarterfinals:
Jey Uso v Ilja Dragunov
Gunther v Kofi Kingston
QOTR Quarterfinals
IYO SKY v Shayna Baszler
Lyra Valkyria v Zoey Stark
WWE SmackDown – Friday, May 17
KOTR Quarterfinals:
Randy Orton v Carmelo Hayes
Tama Tonga v LA Knight
QOTR Quarterfinals
Bianca Belair v Tiffany Stratton
Jade Cargill v Nia Jax
Weekend Results
Results from King and Queen of the Ring tournament matches held over the weekend at WWE live events:
Saturday (Chattanooga, TN):
LA Knight defeated Santos Escoba to advance and face on SmackDown.
AEW has experienced several injuries that have sidelined key members of their roster. Eddie Kingston is the latest addition to that list.
Kingston suffered an undisclosed injury during NJPW Resurgence, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports.
Kingston lost the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship to Gabe Kidd at NJPW and sustained injuries during the match. He was hurt during a table suplex spot.
Eddie Kingston in AEW
After the incident, Eddie required assistance but managed to walk backstage with a noticeable limp. The extent of his injury is not fully known, but it was confirmed that he sustained a legitimate injury during the match.
The Openweight Championship match was also significant as it marked the return of the Young Bucks to NJPW. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson made their a surprise return during the NJPW Resurgence event, targeting Eddie Kingston in a brutal assault.
The Elite in NJPW
After Kingston failed to defend his NJPW Strong Openweight title against Gabe Kidd in a No-rope Last Man Standing Match, Jack Perry approached the ring for a staredown with Kingston. This distraction allowed the AEW EVPs to enter the ring and launch a surprise attack on Kingston. After a brief promo, they executed an EVP trigger, effectively taking Kingston down.
This Young Bucks spot during NJPW Resurgence was obviously planned ahead of time, and Kingston went through with it despite his injury. We’re sending out our best to the Mad King for a speedy recovery.
Today is International Mother’s Day where people take time to celebrate the moms that have helped shape those lives. In the world of wrestling, there is no exception, and several names from the squared circle have shared their love for their moms.
On Twitter, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill gave a shout-out to all her fellow ‘mommies’ in the world.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the fellow mommy’s!!! ?????
The Miz was appreciative of Maryse, his wife and the mother of their two daughters. The couple’s relationship was detailed on their show ‘Miz and Mrs.’
Happy Mother’s Day to the woman who amazes me daily. No matter what life throws at you, you take it on with strength, courage and confidence. Whenever I see you with Monroe and Madison it brings a smile to my face. Your love, patience, and guidance shape them into the incredible… pic.twitter.com/fvbegaSStw
Matt Hardy had plenty of love to his wife Reby Hardy, the mother of the couple’s four children. Matt said he’s lucky to have Reby in his life.
Happy Mother’s Day to the best Mom I could ever wish for, @RebyHardy! Thank you for sacrificing your body, time, heart & soul to give us this beautiful family & to help me shape them into unique, special & great people. I love you & am so lucky to have you as my wife & partner in… pic.twitter.com/jrG7NjMvOs
WWE NXT Superstar Cora Jade shared her love for ‘her mom’ AJ Lee. The WWE legend was a big inspiration for Jade, who also jokes that CM Punk is her father.
WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus was pleased she was able to celebrate her mom with the rest of her family present.
A once in a lifetime trip! So happy we all got to be together on your birthday last week to celebrate you with all your daughters by your side .. and the Aegean Sea on our other side!
To the best mama in the world, you have shaped each of us into the unique women we are today,… pic.twitter.com/KNjRdI3Qav
Zelina Vega, the current reigning Queen of the Ring, was all set to be in this year’s tournament. Sadly, she will not get to proceed.
WWE SmackDown GM Adam Pearce announced that Vega is out of the tournament. She is not medically cleared, but they did not reveal her injury.
She will be replaced by Maxxine Dupri. The LWO member was set to take on Shayna Baszler in the first round, but now the Alpha Academy representative will take her place at tonight’s WWE live event in Machon, Georgia.
This is not the only change that WWE has been forced to make in this year’s tournament. Xavier Woods, who is the reigning King of the Ring, was replaced by Kofi Kingston in the tournament. Also, Bobby Lashley had to pull out, and he was replaced by Angelo Dawkins.
SEScoops has updated our comprehensive coverage of the King and Queen of the Ring.
Queen of the Ring First Round
In the first round of the Queen of the Ring tournament, several matches concluded with decisive victories. Iyo Sky defeated Natalya, while Lyra Valkyria overcame Dakota Kai. Zoey Stark secured a win against Ivy Nile, and Bianca Belair triumphed over Candice LeRae.
Jade Cargill emerged victorious against Piper Niven, and Nia Jax defeated Naomi. Tiffany Stratton also won her match against Michin.
In the final match of the first round, Shayna Baszler will face Maxxine Dupri after Zelina Vega was replaced by Dupri.
You can check out the quarterfinal matchups for the 2024 Queen of the Ring tournament below.
Iyo Sky vs. the winner of Shayna Baszler vs. Maxxine Dupri
The popularity of Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is proving impossible to ignore with the SmackDown Superstar reaching a high-point with Fanatics.
Rhodes merch is often in high demand at WWE live events and all of those sales have been adding up. The American Nightmare is the only wrestler to appear on Fanatics’ top ten list of overall sellers, Fightful Select reports. This is no small feat for Rhodes as Fanatics carries NBA and NFL products amongst its catalog as well as WWE.
These figures will come as good news to higher-ups in WWE who have selected Rhodes as the face of the ‘new era.’ The report adds that The Undertaker recently did a signing for Fanatics but WWE is looking beyond Fanatics for moving their licensed merch.
A deal between WWE and Fanatics was reached in March 2022, mere days before Rhodes’ return to the promotion at WrestleMania 38. The deal has seen Fanatics sell several items of licensed merch ranging from t-shirts to replica championship title belts. At the time of the agreement’s inception, then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon described Fanatics as an “industry leader” and Fanatics founder/CEO Michael Rubin as a “visionary.”
The popularity of Cody Rhodes can’t be ignored.
What’s to Come?
Rhodes merch will surely be in high demand at the upcoming WWE King And Queen of the Ring event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The May 25, show will see Rhodes defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against the U.S. Champion Logan Paul. While Rhodes’ title is the only on the line at this time, Cody has teased on social media that the match will see both titles on the line.
Watch the replay of MLW AZTECA Lucha NOW on TrillerTV+
It’s a history-making night in Chicago as MLW made its return to the Windy City after a five-year hiatus from the city. However, the league rings it in big with a sold-out Cicero Stadium and a stacked card as Cesar Duran and Salina de la Renta fight for supremacy. What hangs in the balance, but a literal key that opens the door for one of the two promoters to take power. Trios action starts the battle off!
MATCH 1 Virus, Villano III Jr. & Felino (representing Cesar Duran) vs. Guerrero Maya Jr., Atlantis & Jose Rodriguez (representing Salina de la Renta)
This match rocks Cicero to open the show as both Felino and Maya Jr. show the technical side of lucha libre, but all competitors get physical, including Rodriguez who exchanged a tuxedo for wrestling gear. The tide turns in the favor of Salina when the upstart Villano III Jr. gets caught in a signature torture rack by the legendary Atlantis and has no option but to submit!
WINNERS: Guerrero Maya Jr., Atlantis & Jose Rodriguez (representing Salina de la Renta)
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (1), Cesar Duran (0)
MATCH 2 MLW National Openweight Championship Bad Dude Tito vs. Rickey Shane Page (c)
It’s a different tone for RSP as he no longer has The Calling at his side, but the big man is ready to step up against another big man in Bad Dude Tito. Tito has been a game contender in any match he’s done since coming to MLW and even took Satoshi Kojima to the limit in a World Title Fight.
Tito switched up his style a bit as he not only delivered the strength, but the speed and even dove at Rickey through the ropes to the outside!
RSP decided to show how fast he was as well, but Tito’s size didn’t phase the champ. He firman tossed Tito like he was a middleweight before dropping an elbow on him. RSP followed that up with his signature gordbuster toss. However, Tito did make the adjustments. He hit RSP with a death valley driver, but Page somehow managed to get a shoulder up! Fatigue kicks in for both fighters but Tito manages to muster up the strength to hit a Thunder Driver for 1-2-3! New champ!
WINNER and NEW MLW National Openweight Champion: Bad Dude Tito
We see Bill Alfonso backstage and he gets ambushed by Mads Krugger and CONTRA Unit! Before he gets knocked out, he warns Krugger that Matthew Justice isn’t gonna be happy!
MATCH 3 Ultimo Guerrero (representing Cesar Duran) vs. Atlantis Jr. (representing Salina de la Renta)
This battle is a clash of styles and experience as the veteran Ultimo Guerrero takes on the legacy youngster in Atlantis Jr. Guerrero has been all too familiar with Atlantis Jr. throughout his whole career and he had the young fighter scouted. Atlantis had UG off his game with an outside attack and then rocked him hard with several kicks. However, Guerrero figured him out. Atlantis went for a top hurricanrana but Ultimo held on and jarred him with a massive powerbomb!
Atlantis managed to keep Guerrero grounded enough to nail one beautiful frog splash for the definitive 1-2-3!
WINNER: Atlantis Jr.
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (2), Cesar Duran (0)
Duran has to be fuming and it’s added salt to the wound when Guerrero exchange handshakes with Atlantis Jr.
MATCH 4 Vacant MLW World Tag Team Championships Second Gear Crew vs. COZYMAX
This match has quite the historic stakes as if Kojima wins, he’ll be the first dual champion in MLW history. However, SGC have their own stakes in the matter as they lost the straps to WTF under nefarious means.
This fight is hard-hitting. SGC really bring out all stops against Kojima, trying to isolate him on the outside, but Okumura reminds them not to take their eyes off him as he does a flipping senton onto both.
SGC does have Okumura dead to rights when they hit a combo spear and lariat! Kojima gets in the ring in just enough time to break it all up.
Justice and Manders go for a corner double team but Okumura pulls Kojima free and it opens him up to nail a LARIATO on the legal man in Manders. He picks Manders up and it allows Okumura to hit a running Cozy Cutter! 1-2-3!
WINNERS and NEW MLW World Tag Team Champions: COZYMAX
History is made in Cicero as KOJIMA is a dual champion!
MATCH 5 Joshua Bishop (with MSL) vs. Matt Riddle
Joshua Bishop doesn’t endear himself to Chicago nor the Mexican fans in the crowd when he snatches a Mexican flag from a fan to disrespect it. That fires them up and they get even more hot when Matt Riddle walks out. The fan whose flag was stolen fill Riddle in who grabbed the flag from MSL and waved it to a huge reaction from Cicero!
The bell rings and Bishop uses his brute strength against Riddle, including a massive fallaway slam akin to Scott Hall and then an extremely impressive blackout slam on Riddle. Riddle was able to show his striking ability. It catches Bishop off his game and he gets laid out after a high knee lift. Riddle swings up top to nail a twisting senton for the pinfall!
Post-fight Riddle hypes up his desire to win Battle Riot this June before being attacked by Sami Callihan! Callihan grabs hold of Joe Dombrowski and says he’s going to win the bout. Riddle breaks up Callihan’s hold on Joe and the two begin brawling big time!
MATCH 6 Averno & Magnus (representing Cesar Duran) vs. Fuego & Star Jr (representing Salina de la Renta)
Star Jr. really sets the tone for the fight when he catches Averno with a leaping stiff shot to the back of the head. Star Jr. shows why he’s one of Salina’s star acquisitions in this fight. His synergy with Fuego.
Fuego shows his skill too with a big spinning headscissor takeover but Magnus catches him with two double knees and gets him down for the pinfall win!
WINNERS: Averno & Magnus
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (2), Cesar Duran (1)
Duran has one more shot to tie Salina and he has to do it with his prize client, MLW World Middleweight Champion Mistico.
MAIN EVENT MLW World Middleweight Championship Bárbaro Cavernario (representing Salina de la Renta) vs. Mistico (c) (representing Cesar Duran)
Mistico makes an epic entrance and even offers a hand in respect for Bárbaro Cavernario, who declines the proposition.
The crowd is absolutely ELECTRIC for Mistico in this match, but Cavernario brings his brawling style to take Mistico off his game. However, the talent of Mistico is clearly unparalleled as the champ kept his focus and hit some of his signature movesets. Cavernario gets a near pinfall after a DVD backbreaker combo. Caverno uses the ropes to splash on top of Mistico.
He continues to wear Mistico down by wrenching the arm of the champion and punches on the right shoulder. Mistico manages to get on the top rope and uses a twisting arm drag to fling Cavernario to the outside, setting him up for a twisting over the top splash!
The war wages on but the finish comes when Mistico catches Cavernario in his signature spinning fujiwa armbar! Barbaro taps and Mistico retains! Duran has tied Salina de la Renta, which means the key stays in Cesar’s possession
WINNER and STILL MLW World Middleweight Champion: Mistico
SCORE: Salina de la Renta (2), Cesar Duran (2)
Post fight, Duran celebrates his tie as Salina says they should have a sudden death match to really determine the winner. In comes MLW CEO Court Bauer to give Duran his payout for Chicago and while that happens, Salina runs off with the key! However, the Azteca henchmen corner Salina and they lock the door behind them! Salina is screaming as we see Duran grinning ear to ear.
Eddie Kingston may have suffered a serious injury during his appearance at NJPW Resurgence which has raised questions about upcoming plans in AEW.
At the event, Kingston lost the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship to Gabe Kidd in a No-Ropes Last Man Standing Match. Kingston had held the title since 311 days after winning the title at NJPW Independence Day in July 2023.
Eddie Kingston was seen limping backstage after his match.
Unfortunately, it appears that Kingston may have suffered an injury during the match. As Bryan Alvarez explained, Kidd delivered a suplex to Kingston to the outside of the ring and noted that Kingston’s leg “hit that barricade so hard.” Dave Meltzer agreed, adding that it “scared the hell out of me.”
Alvarez noted that Kingston immediately grabbed his leg after the spot which proved to be the finish of the match. It was also stated that Kingston was “not moving” for minutes after the match but was able to pull himself up for the post-match segment with The Elite.
Kingston was “limping bad backstage” in another worrying sign for the now-former Openweight Champion. There were concerns at the event that the Mad King would not be able to do the post-match angle.
There’s no update on Kingston’s status but this situation could jeopardize plans for AEW Double or Nothing. During the May 8, episode of AEW Dynamite, Kingston was revealed as part of Team AEW that will battle the Elite in Anarchy in the Arena. Kingston will be joined by Bryan Danielson and FTR if this situation doesn’t keep him from the upcoming pay-per-view.
An overzealous fan breached security and entered the ring during the latest edition of AEW Collision. However, the security personnel were able to get the situation under control.
Last night’s AEW Collision emanated from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. A video clip surfaced on social media which captured the whole incident that took place during the show.
Garcia could be seen celebrating after the match against Kevin Matthews as the fan rolled into the ring. While his intentions were not clear, the security personnel and the referee acted promptly to get hold of the intruder. The fans in the arena soon chanted “You f***ed up” while the invader was escorted out of the arena.
Holy shit there was a fan that jumped into the ring here. The crowd chanted "You fucked up" while he was being escorted out lmao #AEWCollisionpic.twitter.com/P1TrHgkHk0
The show was stacked with some amazing matches. Apart from the aforementioned battle, Bryan Danielson teamed up with Claudio Castagnoli and defeated Top Flight. The crowd was enthralled with the proceedings and it featured some spectacular moments. Following the match, ‘The American Dragon’ showered praise on Top Flight before hyping the upcoming ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ match at Double Or Nothing pay-per-view on Sunday, May 26.
During the show, Will Ospreay locked horns with Lee Moriarty. The ‘Aerial Assassin’ emerged victorious after hitting Storm Breaker on his opponent. However, things didn’t turn out too well for Ospreay as he was attacked by The Undisputed Kingdom following the win.
On the other hand, Brian Cage joined forces with Gates of Agony and squashed Evan Rivers and The Voros Twins in a quick match.
Dax Harwood continued to gain momentum by defeating Thomas Billington ahead of his match against Kazuchika Okada for the AEW Continental Championship on next week’s AEW Dynamite.
Speaking about the women’s division, the former AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa picked up a win over Robyn Renegade by trapping her in a Cobra Clutch.
In the main event, Adam Copeland put his TNT Championship on the line against the hometown hero, Kyle O’Reilly. After a back-and-forth affair, ‘The Rated-R Superstar’ successfully retained his title by hitting the spear.
AEW EVPs The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) made their surprise return to the promotion during NJPW Resurgence and Eddie Kingston is the latest victim of their brutal assault.
Edde Kingston was unsuccessful in defending his NJPW Strong Openweight title against Gabe Kidd in a No-rope Last Man Standing Match. After the disappointing loss, Jack Perry made his way to the ring and had a staredown with ‘The Mad King.’ The distraction led to Nicholas and Matthew entering the ring and launching a blindsided attack on Kingston. After delivering a promo, they eventually went on to take him out with an EVP trigger.
This marks The Young Bucks’ first appearance in the promotion sinch Wrestle Kingdom 13 where they competed for the IWGP Tag Team titles.
The Young Bucks continue their onslaught
The Young Bucks are abusing their power as EVP and even AEW President Tony Khan has fallen prey to them. After recruiting Kazuchika Okada to The Elite, they recently got Jack Perry on their side to bolster their force. A few weeks back on Dynamite, the Jackson brothers shockingly took out Khan. The Young Bucks have established their control over AEW and they seem to be unstoppable. The duo has also recently attacked a returning Kenny Omega, who was not even medically cleared.
On this week’s Dynamite, AEW EVP Kenny Omega announced that The Young Bucks will join forces with Jack Perry and Kazuchika Okada to take on the team of FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler), Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson in a ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ Match at the upcoming AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday, May 26.
